The Wrong Way

Good Morning Church! Covenant Members, would you join me in welcoming all of our first time and returning guests? (applause) So good to see all of you and to be here. I hope you have been made to feel welcome today. This church is about walking out this life together in the RADICAL GRACE of JESUS CHRIST. It’s our heart that here a Concord, that you are made to feel “Know, Loved, and that you Belong.” Scripture tells us:‌

ESV but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

That means you don’t have to get it all figured out before you come. You don’t have to put on a mask to be accepted here. You come and we figure it out together…no matter where you are in your spiritual journey. Whatever season you are in, we know the struggle of this sinful world…but we also know that our God is bigger than our circumstances.

covenant connection:

With that said, I hope you received a program this morning you’ll notice in that program there more info about who we are and what we offer as a church. Now the insert is promoting some awesome things coming up like: this Wednesday nights—Concord U. This is a Wednesday night group time offered in a college style atmosphere for our adults while we have gatherings for kids and students at the same time. On that insert you can sign up for some various class options. Next Sunday, May 6th, we are having a Special Called Family Meeting immediately following worship. If you are a Covenant Member please make every effort to stay after service. Bring a snack to hold you over, whatever you need to do to make it through. We need you there!

guest connection:

(Go back to upbeat)— Also, for our Guests we want to connect with you! You’ll notice inside the program along with the insert is a connect envelope. Later on in our service we will worship through a time of offering together; both guest and member. During our offering portion of worship we will give all of you a moment to fill out the connect envelopes, that also serve as a place you can give any money or financial gift that you would offer to the Lord. During that time you will have an opportunity to be obedient and pray over your gift to the Lord as well. Simply place the Lord’s gift in the envelope; fill out the connect info and during our offering worship, you can place both, the insert and the connect envelope in the offering plate as it passes.Regardless, we desire to connect with you and help you get plugged in.

—what’s coming up…insert announcements

Next Sunday June 3rd we have a special Sun. Night Event - A Look to the Future- A Vision Casting Night for our Church at 5:30pm

Larry Hyche of the Alabama State Board of Missions will be guest speaking along with our lead pastor Joe Brantley as we look to the future of what God has called Concord to be in this community and beyond.

All Covenant Members who are serving in any type of leadership capacity are expected to attend (Deacons, Group leaders, Greeters…all means all).

All Covenant Members who are serving in any type of leadership capacity are

And we welcome any covenant member or anyone considering becoming a covenant member to attend.

VBS!!! Kick off & registration is Sunday afternoon June 10th

Sound Team fades out ipod track behind Stephen after announcements and welcome

Revelation || student pastor || Stephen Ellison

say this:

We believe that God has revealed Himself to us through the word of Scripture. Let us read the Scriptures from starting in v. 18 (please read along with me)

Micah 7:18–19 ESV

18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Stephen: lead directly in to a time of Silent Confession--explain:

So because we know God reveals himself and forgives our sins by His grace through faith recieved in our belief in Jesus Christ, we know we can take anything to God in prayer.

We confess here that “It’s ok to not be ok, but it’s not ok to stay that way.”

So one of the ways that we flesh that out is by taking a moment to turn our sins over to Christ. Because we believe the truth of Scripture that promises us, “If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness” ().

It’s within this promise we take our sins to Jesus.

So I want you to read this Scripture as I speak it over you and myself as a reminder; to evoke reflection, and confession. Then after a moment of solitude in where we seek the face of Jesus and confess. I will lead us in a Corporate of Confession of Faith

Read

Stephen reads the Scripture leading them into a moment of silent communion with God through confessing one’s sin

1 Peter 5:6 ESV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Congregational Confession || The Apostle’s Creed

Stephen leads in reciting the Apostle’s Creed: explain congregation will stand and read this together from the screen (word for word).

Stephen says: We do this as confession and proclamation that God has revealed Himself to us through the Gospel. We are going to read this together from the screen, but before we do let me explain a couple of things:

The Apostle’s Creed is a proclamation of faith in what the Apostle’s taught and what we as a church believe to be the gospel.

A Creed doesn’t take the place of the Bible. It merely proclaims the truth of it.

A finally, it refers to our belief “in the holy catholic church” (the word catholic is derived from the Greek adj. katholikos, meaning "universal") so it has nothing to do with the Roman Catholic church, in our context and since the creed existed before the Roman Catholic Church did, and is based on the New Testament Church…you are not confessing to be Roman Catholic…you are are affirming that you believe in “the church univeral” built on the cornerstone of Jesus.

(now if you are here and you are on the fence or not even on the ranch…you don’t have to repeat this with us…you are in a safe place hear. We join together and read this together, as the church, to celebrate this reality of God’s great love for us. So let’s read the APOSTLE’S CREED together.

So let’s read the APOSTLE’S CREED together.

Hannah: copy and paste this into Propresenter. Let’s break it up slide by slide as I have them grouped below.

I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of Heaven and Earth;

Maker of Heaven and Earth;

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary;

suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;

the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven;

and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church;

the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

We confess here that “It’s ok to not be ok, but it’s not ok to stay that way.”

It’s within this promise we take our sins to Jesus.

Read

Stephen exits the stage

ESVFor the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

Stephen exits the stage

Cole takes over

Let us take a moment to confess our sins…in silence.Pause in silence for personal confession...

Congregational Confession || The Book of Common Worship, 1946

Introduction

Expiation || worship leader: Cole Pevey || before music begins

Call to Worship through reading of Scripture: everyone should still be standing from reciting Apostles Creed, if not ask them to Stand

Assurance of Pardon

Cole reads: Ask the congregation to read from the Screen with you.

Zechariah 2:8–11 ESV

8 For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: 9 “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. 11 And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.

Zech 2

Song of Pardon 1

Assurance of the Gospel: Song 2

Cole prays over the Service

Scripture Reader takes the Stage during Cole’s Prayer (uses White labelled Mic) and then reads the Script

_______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

“I Believe In (The Creed)”Worship band remains on the stage. William prays thanking God for His assurance of Pardon. Giving Zach and Andrea time to take there place in order to read the Scriptures.________________________________________________________

Scripture Reading || Ezekiel 3:22-27

by Covenant Member || Amy Dispenette

Good morning church, and guests. Welcome to Concord.

My name is Amy Dispenette and I, my husband Billy, and our family a have been covenant members here for _____ years now.

I can boldly say that we are passionate about the good news of Jesus and how our vision and mission, as a church, make Him known.

This is our Mission as a Church: We exist to connect people through loving community as we introduce them to Jesus and help them follow Him.

This morning we have the privilege of sharing God’s holy inspired Word with you.

Would you please turn in your Bibles or on your device, to the book of the Prophet Ezekiel (found in the Old Testament), chapter 53, and we will be reading starting in verse 1.

Only mention the first verse so people won’t read ahead

Hannah: put page number for from the white Bible up

If you are joining us this morning and you do not have a Bible, you should see a White Paperback one lying around under your seats, feel free to use that one. And if you don’t own a Bible, consider that our free gift to you. We will even provide you with the page number on the screen to help you find our texts throughout our worship.

take a moment—count to 3 in your head then READ—Book, Chapter, Verse, then Scripture.

Ezekiel 3:22–27 ESV

22 And the hand of the Lord was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.” 23 So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face. 24 But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself within your house. 25 And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. 26 And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

Ez 3:22-27

say: “This is the Word of the LORD.”—then exit

Song of Assurance: of the Gospel

“Man of Sorrows” || Ric Pevey and Concord Worship

___________________________________________________________

Ric, William, or any Praise Team member leads the congregation in a prayer thanking God for the hope we have in Jesus, and for us to continue to worship through the preaching of God’s Word.The rest of the praise band exits during prayerGive Joe time to take the stage and get set.Introduction

Sermon|| lead pastor || Joe Brantley

Good Morning. Great to see everyone. We are going to be hanging out in the New Testament book of Acts (chapter 9) today as we continue in our study of what it means to grow in “Deep Community,” as the Christ’s Church.

As you are turning there, let me echo what Stephen and Cole have already said:

I want to welcome you. Covenant Members, friends, family and guests, I pray that you were made to feel welcome in this place where we gather to encourage one another. But that’s not the primary focus of our gathering this morning.

Everything we do from start to finish is designed to give God our worship. You and I were created for worship. As a matter of fact to borrow from our Presbyterian brothers in the Westminster Shorter Catechism…(and yes we baptists stole that one)…but it asks this question them immediately gives us this answer:

What is the chief end of man?

“Man’s chief end to to GLORIFY God and to ENJOY Him forever.”

They get this from the Scriptures:

Glorify God...

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Cor

Revelation 4:11 ESV

11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Rev

Enjoy Him forever… the Psalmist says it perfectly...

Psalm 73:25–26 ESV

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Ps 73

Why am I leading out with this?

It would not be fair to assume you know this; especially in case you are uninitiated in the way we do life, this thing we call Church; where we gather for the primary reason to make much of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

We willfully and submissively give our worship over to the very God who created each of us; the One who sent His one and only son, Jesus as the ransom for our sin; exchanging our wretched death for His beautiful glory, His sinless life, and His crown; and through the presence of the Holy Spirit who IS here with us, we are going to ascribe worth to this God who made the Way for us, and praise Him for all that He is.

And if that doesn’t make sense just yet, tune in, and keep wrestling with that, know that you are ok. This is a safe place for the skeptic, the confused, the back-sliden, the rebellious and disobedient, as well as those following obedience.

We are going to deal with this real tension and as I speak the Word of God over you throughout our time, I hope some dots start to connect.

As a matter of fact, we will specifically deal with the struggle of resisting God’s will and the struggle of thinking that you and God are boys, or bffs, but truthfully you are on a completely different page.

Because what God wants you to understand through His Word today is this…, He is exclusive. He is the only One deserving of our worship.

He has created us to worship Him; to glorify Him; to honor Him through: the reading of Scripture, the reciting of ancient creeds that point to His infallible truth, through the singing of songs; through the offering of prayers, through our sacrificial giving of our time, talents, and resources, and we will even through the preaching of this jacked up sinner who, by the way, is still walking out what it means to serve the Lord obediently and passionately.

And it’s my prayer today that you would not hear me, but hear the truth of the Word; the stirring of the Holy Spirit inside you, that will cause you to do what God created you to do, and that is to WORSHIP Him and Him alone!

So, if you wandered in here, be warned you didn’t stumble into a building full of people who have it together. What I’m saying is NO ONE in here has arrived. But what we do confess is that we know the One who delivers you from this confusion and chaos of self, purpose, and identity. So know this, if that ‘s you a wandering stumbler, you have stumbled into a professional sinner’s meeting where we profess that we were once blind and now we see.

We were once captivated by and worshiped a world and all the things it would offer us by way of entertainment, while we took our laps around the sun and waited to return to the ground that we too once worshiped.

But NO! Instead, we gather as the Church and preach Christ crucified once to sin, raised on the third day, ascended to the right hand of God the Father, and we all (hopefully all) anxiously await His return.

So if you wandered in here today thinking you were coming to watch a “holier than thou” Jesus pep-rally, and be entertained… you are in for an amazing surprise. You didn’t walk into a building, you walked into a new humanity—a group of people transformed from death to life, redeemed, rescued, and ransomed on a cross 2000 years ago.

Yet you will see us struggle with our flesh, and struggle with the desires to be entertained as you are…why? Because this place is broken and we like the rough, tattered feel of the familiar; even though it reeks of death. We struggle with the balance of understanding the gift we’ve been given.

John Calvin said it this way:

Institutes of the Christian Religion 1. Piety Is Requisite for the Knowledge of God

In this ruin of mankind no one now experiences God either as Father or as Author of salvation, or favorable in any way, until Christ the Mediator comes forward to reconcile him to us. Nevertheless, it is one thing to feel that God as our Maker supports us by his power, governs us by his providence, nourishes us by his goodness, and attends us with all sorts of blessings—and another thing to embrace the grace of reconciliation offered to us in Christ.

So, let me just come out and ask you… have you embraced the grace of reconciliation offered to you through Christ?

Why do I ask?

Because if you came here to be entertained, or please some nagging relative or friend, or to “check” something “good” off the list of things you did this week. Like if that’s you, and you’re just “hanging out” instead of desiring to belong to bride in which Christ gave His life for (the local Church) you need to wake up, come to your senses, and listen to the sound of Jesus knocking on your heart’s door.

This grace of reconciliation not only saves us to God, but it also saves us to one another.

Here’s the reality we are facing in our text and in our lives today...

If you are not SERVING the Church, you are HURTING the Church.

Those whom the Spirit has stirred and awakened to the reality of Christ’s finished work on the cross. We, are bound together by the blood of Jesus as both Son/Daughter, as well as the Bride of Christ (a deep community; known as the local Church).

Meaning, to belong to Christ--is to belong the His Bride.

To belong to the family of God you have to marry your way in through Jesus.

Like I said before our God is exclusive. Yet He has made a way for you and I to belong through His Son Jesus.

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Understanding this belonging, to this exclusive family by marital covenant through Christ is in reality the very institution of marriage that God instituted in the beginning, forshadowing us communing with one another as the Church...

Genesis 2:18 ESV

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Gen 2:

(btw, this is the only time in the creation story where God creates something as say it is NOT good.

Genesis 2:24 ESV

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

When you belong to a family you participate, you kick in, you do your part. You become one. You are known, loved, and you have a sense of purpose and belonging.

The same is true for belonging to Royal family of God. You can’t belong to Jesus, yet divorce yourself from the others (who just like you) needed rescue.

Instead, there’s only one divorce required, I’ll just say it like my boy, Chuck Spurgeon (aka: The Prince of Preachers) said it:

"There must be a divorce between you and sin, or there can be no marriage between you and Christ.”

- C.H. Spurgeon

This is what MUST happen.

So lean in and I’ll just go there. Here is the gist of what I’m getting at and what we are about to read in the Scriptures…are you listening?

If you are not SERVING the Church, you are HURTING the Church.

And God doesn’t like people abusing His Son’s bride. Are you tracking with me?

Acts 9

Acts 9:1–9 ESV

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

This is so relatable…this confusion of spiritual balance shown in the life of Saul is likened to the physical presence and pull of how we steward our time, talents and resources in this life.

I remember sitting in on a conversation a buddy of mine named Tim was having with my son as he is considering joining the Air Force. My bro Tim is a officer (Sgt. Major) and a pilot in the Air Force.

Tim was giving Dylan advice that I could never give…it was something like finishical advice, it was something to do with saving money, apparently people can do that, I assumed it was something he learned being stationed in Finland, I had never heard of it...

But anyway, Tim, who was raised in Oregon, by a family who was frugal, and had an extremely good work ethic, taught Tim to save his money and not just blow it on the bright and shiny of this world.

Tim was advising Dylan to save his money to invest in his long-term future instead of the here and oh so tempting now. Through Tim’s testimony he told Dylan that by saving and investing his money wisely that when he retired from the Air Force his projected savings would be around 10 million dollars.

He told Dylan, if you are not saving your money now, you are hurting your future, because what you are investing in is a return that you won’t see for 20-30 years. If you aren’t saving now you are hurting your future financial success.

When we put it in financial terms everybody’s eyes get big… If you’re not saving now, you are hurting your future.

Look right at me, that’s great advice! But financial advice is as temporary as that skin buggy your trotting around in.

Money is not evil, your heart is. Your heart is an “idol factory” itching to feed it’s every selfish, sinful, fleshly desires.

And it just so happens the currency of the day, to purchase such desires, comes in paper or plastic.

How we steward our money is as much a part of how we steward our spirituality. Just as you serve your family with money, so you should serve the family of God.

When you take the financial dreamscape of how the world wants you to view and value today in: acquiring toys, the “I wants,” vs. the “I needs,” the supremacy of the “I haves” vs. the mediocrity of the “have nots,” our self-centered drive toward preferences, and our glutenous excesses. And turn it on it’s ear and exchange it with a Spiritual view through lens of God’s Word and His design, He is telling you something pretty important about what He truly values and what you as His creation should value, through the story of Saul.

This is a story of broken family… where on the surface abuse is accepted and tolerated for a time, but God will not let you abuse His Son’s Bride for very long without suffering the consequences of doing so.

If you are not serving the Church you are hurting the Church.

Acts 9:1–2 ESV

Saul loved God! How ironic…right. He was a Pharisee trained by one of the best teachers in Jewish history.

Saul thought he was serving God; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac; the God of Jacob…but he was blinded by His own prideful tradition and religion.

Saul knew the Word of God ,He was at the top of the class in Judaism, a proud member of God’s chosen family…yet now found himself divorced from God unknowingly…

Here’s the danger we must lean into:

In his heart of hearts, Saul, thought he was serving God but the reality is that he was hurting the people who were faithfully becoming the beautiful Bride of Christ.

If you are not serving the Church you are hurting the Church.

And we all can get up on our on high horse and do what we want in God’s name right up until God’s knocks you off as He did Saul...

But, put yourselves into this text…feel it, wrestle with it, because it is where some of you are at right now.

Saul, even in breathing murderous threats against the followers of Jesus, THINKS he’s honoring His God!

Acts 9:3–5 ESV

3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Acts 9:3

He is literally going out in faith (layered with with a mask of elitism and pride…sure, that’s there. Right?)…but in the name of God (literally) he is going to get permission from the High Priest to go round up followers of the the Way.

His intention? To bind them and take them to prison.

Not realizing the ropes and the shackles, the very chains of his misinformed purpose were about to be UNDONE as Saul encounter the resurrected Christ, Jesus, in His own life.

Saul, even in breathing murderous threats against the followers of Jesus, THINKS he’s honoring His God!

His intention? To bind them and take them to prison. Not realizing the ropes and the shackles, the very chains of his misinformed purpose were about to be UNDONE as Saul encounter the resurrected Christ, Jesus, in His own life.

Acts 9:6–9 ESV

6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Acts 9:

Conclusion

So how do you “put yourself into the text?” How do you wrestle with the the tension of this?”

Maybe you’re like, “Are you really telling me that by not belonging to, giving to, or serving, the church, that I’m like this guy?”

“Come on bro, Saul was beating people down, arresting them, approving of their death, I’m not doing anything like that!”

Then let me frame it up by asking you this?

What are you doing?

If you are not serving the Church you are hurting the Church.

I applaud that you are not punching people in the face, or chaining them up, or even killing people for believing in Jesus.

At at least does elevate you over what so many others are still suffering for Christ at the hands of men and women around the world.

For some of you, I’m not saying you are as bad as Saul, I’m actually saying you may be worse.

At least Saul was erring on the side of trying to honor the God he grew up knowing, and the tradition of the faith in which he believed. At least he was putting action and not just words to his belief. Some aren’t even doing that. You know how I know? Because I am a minister of the gospel and find myself leaning into this perversion myself.

Self is new Golden Calf. It is the new god in which we worship most. We aren’t worshiping the Creator misunderstanding what He is doing we are worshiping His creation and explaining why we have a right to do so.

You and I are not punching Christians in the mouth, instead we are relishing and applauding and chanting in tyrannical celebration as they drive the nails in Jesus’ hands and feet! Kicking His Bride all the while He absorbs our wrath. Because...

If you are not serving the Church you are hurting the Church.

Where do we find hope and grace in this story? How do you change? How do we stop hurting Christ’s church?

By understanding that your sight has been skewed. That you have lost the view of grace in Jesus and in His people. Understanding that you are blind by a world that has deceived you. And simply repenting of your sin, and running to the cross of Jesus.

Listen to the Words of the man formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, the one who was going the wrong way until Jesus step in and changed everything. Listen as he speaks to the young friend who he is teaching about the glory and enjoyment found in God’s masterful rescuing gospel.

1 Timothy 1:12–14 ESV

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1 Tim 1:12-

Where’s the hope?

In the fact that you God sent His Son to encounter you in your blind darkness give you hope in the light of His glory.

But do you see it? Are you in love with the One who gave Himself for you? Are you in love enough to love by belonging to Him, giving everything to Him, and serving Him as His Bride?

His bride is the local church...If you are not serving the Church you are hurting the Church.

I leave you with the words of the Apostle Peter to speak into how or what God is calling you too in this time of response…

1 Peter 4:17 ESV

17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

You either belong to the Church or you don’t. And what define’s belonging… how are you using your time, talents, and resources to glorify and enjoy God in all things? Your created purpose.

If you are not serving the Church you are hurting the Church.

Know He is calling you. You either respond or run.

The funny thing about running is that time is NOT on your side…but the beautiful thing about Jesus, is that His grace is.

I guess it depends which way you are running. Toward Him or away from Him.

________________________________________

Connection & Generosity

Romans 12:5 ESV

5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Generous people give to see the impossible become possible.

A little boy offered Jesus his meager lunch in . He only had a few loaves and fishes, and Jesus had 5,000 mouths to feed. But gifts in God’s hands can be — and often are — divinely multiplied to meet the demands of greater works.

John 5:8–14 ESV

8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

John 6:8–14 ESV

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

John 5:8–10 ESV

Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.”

John 5:8-

John 6:8-

John 5:8-

This is one of the greatest-ever giving stories, a beautiful picture of the faith to see something profound happen because of your gifts.

First and foremost, the young man had enough faith to give his own lunch away! He was risking his own provision, his own comfort, in the hope of helping others. One boy’s faith is what set in motion the amazing miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000.

Know that today your gift, given in faith and good cheer, could set into motion something we see as impossible, but God know IS possible.

The Wrong Way

Host Time and Welcome || student pastor: Stephen Ellison

covenant connection:

guest connection:

—what’s coming up…insert announcements

Revelation || student pastor || Stephen Ellison

​Congregational Confession || The Apostle’s Creed

Congregational Confession || The Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of Heaven and Earth;

Maker of Heaven and Earth;

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary;

suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;

the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven;

and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church;

the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Congregational Confession || The Book of Common Worship, 1946

Introduction

Expiation || worship leader: Cole Pevey || before music begins

Assurance of Pardon

Song of Pardon 1

Assurance of the Gospel: Song 2

________________________________________________________

Scripture Reading || Ezekiel 3:22-27

by Covenant Member || Amy Dispenette

Song of Assurance: of the Gospel

“Man of Sorrows” || Ric Pevey and Concord Worship

Sermon|| lead pastor || Joe Brantley

Conclusion

Connection & Generosity

Generous people give to see the impossible become possible.

Prayer over offering...

Congregational Confession || The Apostle’s Creed